DES MOINES, IOWA -- Tuesday, Aug 10,2010 a Nationwide insured hit our car in the rear while it was stopped. The car was not drive-able and it was after 5 pm so it was towed to a storage lot. Rental car was not furnished until Friday. The following Monday or Tuesday, the claims representative for Nationwide calls and says our car is totaled and commented about how clean the Nationwide adjuster said it was. His first request was that I call and release the car from storage so he can have it towed to Nationwide's lot. I agreed to that.

The next order of business is to offer me $3849.60 for our vehicle and said it would cost around $4200 to fix. We bought this 2000 Accord EX V6 new in Sept. of 2000 and it has been cared for which attests to the 381,000 miles on it. It has brand new tires, brakes, alignment, and less than 20,000 miles on timing belt change. Needless to say, I thought he was joking. He was not.

I explained to him about the vehicle and he starts about the mileage (and hasn't let go of that) and valuation by the company they use. I of course told him that was ridiculous. Also that I was getting angry about this offer and we shouldn't talk right then, to call back tomorrow. He called back the next day and upped his offer to just under $4500. I had been on the internet pricing like vehicles and using on line pricing calculators found the value to be around $6500.

NADA = $7075; Edmunds = $6425; Kelly Blue Book = $6530; Auto Trader = $5500-$9000/aver =$7900; Lemon Free.com/national avg.=$6741, <200 miles from me = $6598, 184 EX's < $10,000, only 28 EX's < $5000. After I refused this offer, representative said the rental car would only be paid through the next Wed. I said that would be fine. We didn't really need it anyway, we had gotten by without it the 2 days before they had arranged for one.

I had found an identical vehicle in GA for $6900 and emailed the representative on Thursday that I would take $5500 then and turn the rental car in on Friday and go buy the car on the weekend. He declined this offer and reiterated the rental car expense would not be paid after Wednesday. After Friday I withdrew my offer since the car would be sold over the weekend.

Status quo had been maintained until last week I was told by representative that they could no longer store our vehicle and would need a place to tow it. Yet another strong arm tactic to get us to settle. I gave him a friend's address that agreed to keep it for us temporarily and it was towed there on 10/7/10. The appraisals Nationwide uses are way off from the aforementioned companies.

The 1st dealer on their appraisal list was quoted a "take price" of $5614 that didn't have the options our car has. Then the appraisal company starts deducting from that price. The dealer was asking $6,990 for a 2000 Accord EX V6 that he had on the lot. He didn't have the one that was on the list. The 2nd dealer on the appraisal list didn't have one since the appraisal was given on 6/3 on a vehicle that didn't have the same options and our accident was on 8/10. The 3rd one was a dealer in Huntsville which is out of our area anyway and their car didn't have our options either.

Nationwide leaves me no alternative but to take them to court and I will have my day in court. I am going to do all I can to expose Nationwide's claims practices and their appraisals which in my opinion are bad faith examples.
Nationwide or any other insurance company is not going to run over me and my family. This could have been settled easily if they only had tried to be fair instead of greedy.

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Nationwide Is NOT on Your Side!!

By rinners - 06/20/2010

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA -- I was hit by a driver covered by Nationwide. She ran a stop sign and totaled my car. The next day (a Monday) we reported the claim. I was told that Nationwide would get back to me the next day and have an adjuster go look at my car. I waited, they did not call, so we called them. Mr. ** (the agent) told me that an adjuster still has not be assigned and they will get back to me later that day when one will be assigned. We called later on (around 4pm). And still, no one was assigned to go look at my car. I asked about getting a rental and their policy states that we (the victim) have to pay for the rental upfront and they will reimburse me (only up to a certain amount, that is).

This was extremely frustrating! At the time, I was working 2 jobs and babysitting. I could not be without a car! The next day I call Mr. ** and he finally gives me the name and number of the adjuster. I call the adjuster repeatedly and he does not get back to me until hours later. He tells me he has not looked at my car and that he is going on vacation the next day so someone else will be looking at my car and they will contact me the very next day. And the next day comes and no one calls, yet again. At this point me and my family are furious because after all, I was the victim in this situation.

I wait until the next day and call Mr. **'s office over and over again and I leave him a message stating that I will be contacting a lawyer. Finally, after 5 days of waiting for someone to look at my car (the car that their driver destroyed), my mom became fed up and called the head office in Ohio. She spoke to someone by the name of **. After hearing out story, he agreed to grant us a rental and he told us it WILL be paid for by Nationwide upfront. We had to email him a copy of our insurance policy and that was it. That evening we go and pick up the rental at Enterprise. At this point they are on the same page as us. They understand we are not paying a cent.

A few days later we finally get the check for the damage since my car was determined totaled. By the time this is said and done it is mid-May. Now, in mid June, Enterprise calls us up and tells us we owe them the money for the rental and that Nationwide did not approve anything. At this point, we are so sick of the situation, we basically say "screw it, not our problem!". Enterprise threatened my mother with putting this on her credit report. So, now, after enough damage done by Nationwide, my mother's credit score is now going to greatly affected in a negative way. I don't understand why they couldn't pay for a rental like they should and get me my check in a timely fashion.

After all, this accident was NOT my fault at all. Nationwide is full of crooks and I would recommend avoiding them at all costs because they will not help you.

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Auto Ins

By hobofred3823 - 01/29/2015

Rating: 1/51

MARION, SOUTH CAROLINA -- I was with Nationwide 40 yrs what a joke, they decided to rewrite my policy after 40 yrs. Ok, I thought, so they did and every thing stayed the same for a min. but that was in reality a ploy to screw things up later. Everything ok for the first 6 months then up goes the policy for no reason when asked about it, I got the song and dance that all of you have gotten, so I was forced to get other insurance because I did not have 10 hrs a day to play with them on the phone.

Well it seems they did not like that idea so they have conveniently lost payment and want me to do all the hoop jumping for them. You know send me, this send me that, prove this and that, because they cannot keep track of their agents. (News flash: not my job.) So it has progressed to the state insurance office and they made an agreement with them. Then one month to the day Nationwide starts their stuff again with me, I was threatened with they would cancel my insurance before the date it was canceled so I would have to pay a penalty to the state for this. Now that sounds like extortion to me.

So I would not recommend anyone to get Nationwide Insurance, this is like dealing with the mob. As for Nationwide I will pay the state before I will pay them hands down. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER will I ever have Nationwide Insurance again.

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Bad Glasses

By Steve - 07/16/2013

Rating: 1/51

SUPRISE, ARIZONA -- I purchased a pair of glasses back in Dec 2012. When I picked them up I started wearing them. Well they gave me a headache. I called the company and took them back, 3 times we did this. Picked them up the last time and they told me there was nothing else they could do for me. So I kept them. I tried to wear them and they still gave me a headache.

Now I am in Idaho and I took them into an Eye Dr. here who checked them out, and lo and behold they were off (The PD), they were off 7 mm and off 8 mm to my old glasses to what they were supposed to match. They were supposed to be 30.5 on one side and 31 on the other side. They even built 2 other sets that were done in the mean time and they all gave me a headache. Now my Eye Dr would like 158.00 to make them right. Why should I pay him when I have already paid to have them fixed and they could not fix them. NATIONWIDE IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE.

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Adjuster Was Dumb or Trying to Rip Me Off

By Johnny - 06/26/2013

Rating: 1/51

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- My car was hit by a Nationwide insured individual. The appraiser they sent out wrote an estimate for 1/3 of the damage as if they expected me to accept it. I have years of experience in auto repair and pointed out the frame and structural damage and he ignored it all. This is after 3 days of car sitting wrecked and no offer of a rental. It would seem to me that Nationwide policy is to rip people off for the actual money, as when I complained he was defended by company. I wonder how many thousands of people have been shorted by Nationwide, seems like criminal behavior to me.

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Nation Wide Is Playing Dirty Pool

By drs8542 - 06/25/2013

Rating: 1/51

FRISCO, TEXAS -- Nationwide in an attempt to get out of paying hail claims has been selling a product that limits your right to make a hail claim to 6 months! If you travel or just didn't notice that the storm that passed had hail that damaged your roof but not your car, you're screwed! My elderly neighbor called in about her roof leak. Nationwide sent THEIR adjuster to inspect the damage. He agreed that the roof was damaged due to hail but refused to pay because it was past the 6 months!!!! The agents in most cases are not even aware of this BS but they will sell you that policy anyway! Nationwide is on who's side????

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Charged for Somebody Else's Policy

By C. - 06/06/2013

Rating: 1/51

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA -- I noticed that there were two withdrawals from my bank account for an unknown person's policy. I immediately called the Nationwide corporate office. First, they did not appear to believe me. They wanted MY policy numbers and MY bank account statement. I told them to contact my bank if they did not believe me and my bank confirmed that the withdrawals had been made from my account. This still did not satisfy the person on the phone... she seemed to imply that the problem was my fault.

I resented having to present MY bank statement to show that money was being taken out of my account. I hung up and decided to try to deal with the local agent. I told him I would come in to the office today. I am very busy with end of the year teaching duties and do not have time to spend hours first on the phone and then traveling to an out of the way office. The agent did not have the courtesy to be there. I was angry to say the least. There is no reason why I should have had to share my private bank statement for a mistake they clearly had made. Also, the women in the office were extremely RUDE. I am ready to go to the police since this is clearly a case of theft.

This is not the first time we have had trouble with this company even though we have NEVER had a car accident and only made one claim on our homeowner's policy when lightning hit our well pump thirteen years ago.

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Unauthorized Transfer of Vehicle, Hidden Cancellation Fee

By TLMinnich333 - 05/24/2011

I have been a customer of Nationwide for over 30 years. Had Auto insurance and homeowners policy. In 2007, I bought a new car and before I could search for other insurance, the agent for Nationwide changed my vehicle based on a call from the dealership. I never authorized this change as I was searching for better coverage. I told my agent that this should never occur again. I am the sole person who can request/authorize a change to my policy. As for the dealers concern, according to my policy and confirmed by the agent, I have coverage for up to 30 days under my policy.

Now, in February 2011, I purchased new vehicles again and had a different company I wanted to change to. Shortly after purchasing, I found that my new cars were already on the policy, again due to collusion between the dealer and my Nationwide agent. I found this out when I received a statement showing new coverage and increased rates. I was upset at the cost, so I searched for other insurance and found most other companies are considerably cheaper, so I was going to change my coverage to a different company.

My policy was up for renewal on March 1, and I found a new company and my coverage was to begin April 1, 2011 so I realized I would have to pay for March to Nationwide (had monthly payment plan) and I informed Nationwide of cancellation effective April 1, 2011. Subsequently to this, I received a statement saying I owed Nationwide $260 additional, even though they had already debited my account for March payment of $187. Calls to Nationwide were of no help. This was allegedly a cancellation fee, but I reviewed what contract had been sent to me and see no mention of a cancellation fee.

Nationwide, while I was still corresponding with them about the charges, sent the account to a Collection Agency and is refusing to give an accounting for the amount and/or proof of the "hidden" cancellation fee. They have acknowledged that a third party (dealer) made unknown changes to MY policy without my knowledge and consent, contrary to my instructions per the 2007 transaction. They are now refusing to discuss, show accounting and or change anything. I am now going to dump my Homeowners coverage and use a different company. Believe me, NATIONWIDE IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE, just their greedy money side!

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Lies to Customers Just to Get You to Buy Their Policy

By guardianangel - 08/24/2007

ORLANDO -- Abney Insurance Agent for Nationwide and the company of Nationwide itself. They was called after my son had to borrow my husband truck. Which was about a 30.000.00 dollar truck. Well that after the dealerships puts their nails into your coffin. But anyway, my husband bought the policy from one of the agent there and was told the price of the policy with my son living with us. Then he was told it would be cheaper if he just excluded him from the policy. Then my husband ask how long will he be excluded, the agent replied for as long as he lives with you. And after he moves out he will not be excluded anymore. So my husband sign the contract and left.

In Jan 2007 my son moved out of my husband house and moved to bell Florida. He came down here one weekend in March and ask my husband if he could borrow the truck for something and my husband said OK. My son took the truck and did whatever he was to do. He was coming down a dirt road and a deer came out of the woods in front of him, he then swerved to keep from hitting the deer, he lost control of the truck, it rolled over. The police were called and then my son called his father right after the police. My husband being concerned about our son, he ask "are you OK son?" He said "yes I am OK."

My husband and I DROVE DOWN there to make sure he was OK. We wasn't worried about the truck, it was covered by insurance. We could replace the truck, that was the least of our worries. My son and my husband called Nationwide and told them what happened.

Nationwide called a few days later to say the truck was not covered. When we ask why, it was, "well your son was exclude from the policy." No he's not, he no longer lives in our home. We provided the proof that they needed. A statement from his landlord and his PO box were he got his mail. They then said that the info should have been provided sooner like the day he moved out. OK, why was I not told that when I took out the policy? "Well sir it's all there in black and white." My husband explained he did not read it before he signed because he trusted the agent.

All the agent said was as soon as he moves out he will no longer be excluded. He wasn't told anything about having him send something to the agent the day he moved out. My husband would have never loaned a 30.000.00 dollar truck out if he did not think it would have been covered by his insurance. I called the agency to make sure he was no longer excluded, they said "no he his not excluded."

The next month my husband got the bank statement and his statement from Nationwide, they had put Jonathon back on his policy as a driver since April. I called to take care of it and the lady I spoke with said she didn't have him put on the policy, she only had him unexcluded. These people at Abney and Nationwide, they are not on your side.

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Additional Damage increased Insurance

By ANM - 06/22/2010

I was involved in a minor accident in February. The estimate for repair by a Nationwide approved estimator was below what would raise insurance rates. The repair location found additional damage and Nationwide accepted the damage which put me over the acceptable limit. I should have been contacted to discuss or pay the additional amount. Now I will be paying a substantial amount to Nationwide for the next three years. It was to their advantage to not tell me about the additional charges and not allow me to make up the difference.

The insurance industry should mandate that the customer be informed and allowed to pay for any additional damages at the customer's choice.